The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program prepares the student for entry into a health care/community service profession that uses a variety of activities and modalities to help individuals learn and/or re-learn daily life skills needed in order to function at their most productive and independent level.

The OTA, under the guidance of an Occupational Therapist, uses their knowledge of human growth and development in the areas of physical, social, and emotional functioning to carry out programs with clients of all ages. Clients who have a varying abilities resulting from physical injury or trauma, disease, aging, mental illness or substance abuse may require Occupational Therapy intervention. Functional goals established jointly with the client are aimed toward individual self-care, entry/reentry into the community and/or to work.

Activities employed may take many forms but might include activities as basic as daily tasks of bathing, dressing and cooking, or may be as complex as the use of computer assisted communication or work .

THE APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED! 

If you are interested in applying for the program, the new deadline is June 11th.  The program will accept unofficial transcripts from Alamo Colleges. See the topic below regarding Admissions & Prerequisite Requirements and Application & Selection Process for instructions for applying to the program.

  OTA INFORMATION SESSIONS for Fall 2018: August 28, September 26, October 30, November 27. Meet in CHP 320 at 5 pm.

These sessions will provide the prospective student an opportunity to meet faculty and learn about the program and the admissions process.

Students with questions regarding admissions or whether previous courses will transfer for credit at St. Philip's College and the OTA Program are encouraged to contact the Advising Department.

Institute 3:  Health & Bio Sciences Advisor for Occupational Therapy Assistant Program  Douglas Gable Certified Advisor, Institute 3 Office: 210-486-2799 Email: dgable@alamo.edu

NOTE THE CHANGES TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS REGARDING CPR, VOLUNTEER HOURS, AND ATI TEAS SCORES.

    CPR is not required for the application process

    The volunteer or employment requirement is 20 hours.

    The minimum score on the ATI TEAS test is 65.

    Letters of recommendation are NOT required.

NOTE THE OTA PROGRAM WILL ACCEPT ATI TEAS EXAMS FROM ALLIED HEALTH AND NURSING

Recent Changes to Program Policies and Procedures, or to This Website:

Addition of Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's requirement to provide Statutory Requirement Notice to Applicants and Enrollees for Occupational License of their right to request criminal history evaluation.  Applicants to the program with felony or misdemeanor convictions may not be eligible for licensure or certification, and are not eligible for admission into the program until a declaratory order process is completed with the licensure and/or certification board.  Proof of eligibility for licensure and/or certification must be provided for consideration for admission into the program.  Students with concerns should request a criminal history evaluation through the Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners (ECPTOTE).  Once on the ECPTOTE webpage, click on the "Request a Criminal History Evaluation" link and follow the given directions.- posted 2/28/18

Program Topics

• Program Accreditation & Licensure
• Admission & Prerequisite Requirements
• Application & Selection Process
• Curriculum & Course Listing 
•  Frequently Asked Questions 
• Occupational License THECB Statutory requirement OTA
  

Professional Organizations and Sites of Interest

These web sites represent only a partial list of professional organizations and regulating bodies having to do with the field of Occupational Therapy in Texas.

• The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) - The organization that represents the interest of the profession of Occupational Therapy on a national level. They regulate the educational standards and accredit all universities and schools offering programs to become an Occupational Therapist or Occupational Therapy Assistant in the United States. This process is under the auspices of the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). The AOTA offers a wide variety of Continuing Education programs throughout the US.
• Texas Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (TOTA) - The state association representing Texas Occupational therapists in matters concerning legislation relative to the profession and consumers of our services. They offer a variety of continuing legislation relative to the profession and consumers of our services. They offer a variety of continuing educational opportunities throughout the year, including the Mountain Central Conference held in the Fall.
• Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners - You must apply for license as an Occupational Therapist or an Occupational Therapy Assistant with this agency following graduation from an accredited program in Occupational Therapy Assistant with this agency following graduation from an accredited program in Occupational Therapy and having successfully passed the national certification examination in order to practice in the state of Texas. That includes using any title or terminology implying that you are an Occupational Therapist or that you provide Occupational Therapy in any way.
• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT) - The certification examinations for both the Occupational Therapist and the Occupational Therapy Assistant given by this organization following graduation from an accredited program. Passing scores on the examination are accepted by the state of Texas for a license to practice Occupational Therapy. 
• Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Accreditation.aspx.

We hope the following web sites are of interest to potential students, therapists and consumers of Occupational Therapy services. We will update this page periodically. 

•  Advance Magazine for OT - Free print and online magazine with occupational therapy related articles, blogs, columns, continuing education seminars, and job information.
• Wikipedia - Occupational Therapy

Faculty and Staff

The Occupational Therapy Assistant program faculty are dedicated and licensed professionals. Each faculty member has graduated from an accredited program and has clinical experience in various areas. Contact information for each faculty member is provided below.

Kathryn Freeman, OTR, MOT
Instructor, Program Director
Email: kfreeman24@alamo.edu
Phone: 210-486-2421
Location: Center for Health Professions (CHP) 330L 

Edward Gayden,  COTA, BA
Instructor, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator
Email: Egayden@alamo.edu
Phone: 210-486-2432
Location: Center for Health Professions (CHP) 330M

Jacqueline Stevenson, OTR, MOT

Instructor, Student Club Advisor
Email: jstevenson20@alamo.edu
Phone: 210-486-2518
Location: Center for Health Professions (CHP) 330B 

Program Accreditation and Licensure

Program Accreditation & Graduate Statistics: 

The occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Accreditation.aspx. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

The program is currently fully accredited. Access program data results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

National Certification:

Graduates of the program are awarded an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree and are then eligible to take the national examination to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). The national examination is administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) located at 12 South Summit Avenue, Suite 100, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150 and can be reached at phone: 301-990-7979. Additional information NBCOT may be obtained at http://www.nbcot.org. 

Results of National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination.

The pass rate for number of students that passed the NBCOT exam for the last three years is 97%

State Licensure:

A practitioner may not work in the State of Texas without a license. Once nationally certified, the individual is eligible to apply to the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (TBOTE) for a license to practice in the State of Texas. The TBOTE is located at 333 Guadalupe, Suite 2-510, Austin, TX 78701-3942, and can be reached at 512-305-6900. Additional information may be obtained at http://www.ptot.texas.gov/page/home.  

Graduation, certification and licensure are separate mechanisms and are the responsibility of the individual student.

Legal Considerations:

Enrollment into the Allied Health Programs by students with felony or misdomeanor convictions could result in denial of licensure or certification. These students would not be eligible for admission into the program until a declaratory order process is completed with the licensure and certification board. A copy of the proof of eligibility for licensure and certification must be provided with the program application.

Required Certification Documentation: applicant will review the NBCOT Early Determination Review. Depending on the situation, an applicant will either 1) include a signed statement that they have read all information concerning the Early Determination Review and a copy the applicant’s responses to the “Character Questions” or 2) include a copy of the NBCOT document with results of the early determination review.

Required Texas Licensure Documentation: applicant will include a copy of the results from the Executive Council of Occupational Therapy Examiners “Criminal History Evaluation Letter” with the application to the program.

Completion of the application criteria does not guarantee program selection or admission.

Admission and Prerequisite Requirements

Students electing to major in the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program must meet all admission requirements for acceptance to St. Philip's College and the Health Sciences Department. Students must also complete and submit the separate Health Sciences Department Application Form and ALL supporting documents. See the Admission Guidelines, OTA Application & Checklist, and, OTA volunteer or Employment Verification Form.

Prerequisite courses must be completed prior to the application deadline.

Prerequisite courses are:

• ENGL 1301 Composition
• BIOL 2401 Human Anatomy & Physiology I
• MATH Choose one from the math core.

General Education Courses to complete either before starting the program or during the summer break:

• Select one course from Humanities (40) core OR from Visual and Performing Arts (50) core
• PSCY 2301 General Psychology

NOTE: All courses must have a grade of C or higher

  Courses do not have an expiration date.  If Alamo Colleges accept your course then the program will accept your courses.

Application and Selection Process

Completed application packets, including all supporting documents, are accepted in the Spring semester by the deadline of March 31. Applications are reviewed during the Spring semester for consideration to begin the OTA program in the following Fall semester.

Only applicants with complete application packets will be considered. The complete application packet should include the following:

• Completed Notice to OTA Program applicants, OTA Student Application Form,  and OTA Application Checklist.
• Essay, a one page, double-spaced, typed essay stating reasons for pursuing the OTA program.
• Official transcripts from all colleges (including St. Philip's college if applicable) attended are required. An official transcript is one printed on official paper from the Registrar's office and in a sealed envelope. Students should request the transcript(s) be sent to their home address. DO NOT OPEN. Submit official transcripts with all other application documents in one sealed envelope. A separate official transcript must also be provided to the records and registration office. A minimum 2.75 overall GPA is required.
• Documentation of 20 hours of volunteer/work time spent with an occupational therapy practitioner (OTR/COTA) in any setting. This may be a record of volunteer/work hours which clearly indicates the location, setting, and supervisor contact information or other confirmation of hours on a company letterhead or the SPC OTA Applicant Observation or Employment Verification Form.
• Complete the Assessment Technology Institute (ATI) The Essential Academic Skills (TEAS ) standardized exam with a minimum score of 65. SELECT THE TEST FOR ALLIED HEALTH not Nursing.  The TEAS  is a web-based exam that helps identify students with the best chance of success in the Health Science field. This test measures the three most basic, but important, education skill sets needed for an health science occupation. The TEAS  exam is a multiple-choice assessment of basic academic knowledge in reading, mathematics, science and English and language usage. The objectives assessed on the TEAS  exam are those which health science educators deemed most appropriate and relevant to measure entry level skills and abilities of health science students. Please go to the Health Science web page for cost and registration information.

Selection Process     

After the March 31 deadline, the Selection Committee will review all complete application packets. Qualified applicants will receive notification to attend a meeting with OTA faculty that furthers the selection process. This session will provide more specific information about the program, expectations if accepted into the program, and completion of an interview and writing sample.

 Selection criteria include the following:

  Selection Criteria

NOTE: All courses must have a grade of C or higher  

*Applicants will receive an invitation to the interview and writing sessions. 

Final Applicant Selection

Following the Interview and Orientation Session, each student is then ranked according to their overall score. The OTA Selection Committee will subsequently select the 26 highest ranked applicants. All qualified applicants will receive notification of acceptance or non-acceptance. All selectees will be required to attend an orientation session late in the summer.

The College, the health Sciences Department, and the OTA Program are not responsible for any misinterpretation of the above processes for admission and selection.

Acceptance into the OTA program is conditional until the student passes a mandatory criminal background check and a drug screen (at the student’s expense). Additional information and required forms will be sent to those students who are accepted into the OTA program. Before beginning the clinical rotations, students must complete mandatory immunizations and will be required to carry health insurance during those semesters. A list of required immunizations can be found on the Health Sciences Department application.

Enrollment into the Health Science Programs by students with felony convictions could result in denial of licensure or certification. These students would not be eligible for admission into the program until a declaratory order process is completed with the licensure and certification board. A copy of the proof of eligibility for licensure and certification must be provided with the program application.

Required Certification Documentation: applicant will review the NBCOT Early Determination Review. Depending on the situation, an applicant will either 1) include a signed statement that they have read all information concerning the Early Determination Review and a copy the applicant’s responses to the “Character Questions” or 2) include a copy of the NBCOT document with results of the early determination review.

Required Texas Licensure Documentation: applicant will include a copy of the results from the Executive Council of Occupational Therapy Examiners “Criminal History Evaluation Letter” with the application to the program.

Completion of the application criteria does not guarantee program selection or admission.